Law High victim's parents represented in court

Daniel Tepfer

Updated 11:12 pm, Wednesday, July 30, 2014

MILFORD -- Just days before Maren Sanchez was stabbed to death in a Jonathan Law High School corridor last April, she spent spring break with her father, Jose Sanchez, in Florida.

"It had been a special time between father and daughter," said Jose Sanchez's lawyer, Anthony Bonadies. "They had grown very close."

On Wednesday morning, the classmate accused of stabbing Maren to death, 17-year-old Christopher Plaskon, appeared in court as both his lawyers, Richard Meehan and Edward Gavin, and State's Attorney Kevin Lawlor requested another continuance in the case. The next court date is Oct. 16.

"Losing a child is the deepest of all losses -- that is what Mr. Sanchez is enduring with the loss of Maren," Bonadies said outside the courtroom before Plaskon's appearance. "Anyone who knew Maren knew she was special, full of love and life. Jose will be part of the process for justice to assure that all those that play a part in this process know the magnitude of the loss to Jose and everyone when Maren was taken."

Bonadies said his client will probably remain in Florida, where he lives, until the trial. Bonadies was attending the hearing to keep tabs on the case for the father.

"My job is to understand what their feelings are and help them understand this horrible process and make it better for them," Lawlor said later, of the victim's family.

Lawlor said police are continuing to investigate the case and should be finished shortly.

Plaskon's parents also were in court Wednesday, and they sat holding hands.

Among the information police say they are still looking at are reports that Plaskon had been stalking Maren Sanchez ever since she turned him down for the junior prom. A source said police have information that other students reported hearing Plaskon angrily debating with himself, days before the slaying.

Although the defense has requested a trial before a three-judge panel, a move usually made when an insanity defense is used, Meehan was not publicly committing to that defense Wednesday.

"We are reserving what our defense will be; we haven't made that judgment," he said.

Police said the 16-year-old Sanchez, an athlete and National Honor Society member, was confronted on April 25 by childhood friend Plaskon in a first-floor hallway at the school shortly after 7 a.m., before classes began.

Police said Plaskon slashed Sanchez across the throat, face and chest.

A teacher saw Plaskon on top of Sanchez during the attack and unsuccessfully tried to pull him off, according to a police report. Another witness pointed out the bloody knife to officers where Plaskon dropped it, a short distance down the hallway.

Police said that after Plaskon stabbed Sanchez. he dropped the knife and calmly walked to the principal's office.

"I did it. Just arrest me," he reportedly told Officer James Kiely, the school's resource officer.

Kiely had been called to the principal's office, where he saw Plaskon with bloody hands and clothing, police said. The police report states that Kiely, who knows Plaskon, asked him what happened, and the boy confessed.

Kiely handcuffed Plaskon, then went to the crime location in the hallway where he saw Sanchez was in grave condition.